BREAK..BREAK..BREAK..the future of the Armée de l'Air, the Rafale omnirole fighter, shows its elegant lines and the new AASM guided bombs. Flown by the active unit EC01.007, after the air defence role, also the ground attack role has been added to the tasks of this unit.

Photo: Stephan de Bruijn

Abu Dhabi/Al Dhafra (United Arab Emirates) (OMAM)

Rwy: 13/31Pos: 24°14'54"N 054°32'52"EElev: 76 ft

Escadron

Escadrille

Aircraft Type(s)

Name

Tail Code

Badge

EC 03.030Lorraine

SPA38

Rafale C

Chardon Lorrain

104-..

SAL56

Rafale C

Scarabée

104-..

This base has been allocated BA104 and houses also a C-135FR and an Atlantic NG on detachment for Operation Chammal.

Escadron de Convoyage 00.070 is supporting the large maintenance and storage facility at Chateaudun.

Cognac/Châteaubernard (LFBG)BA709

Rwy: 05/23, 09/27Pos: 45°39'30"N 000°19'03"WElev: 102 ft

Escadron

Escadrille

Aircraft Type(s)

Name

Tail Code

Badge

EPAA 00.315

-

EIV 01.013Artois

SPA83

TB-30

Chimère

315-..

SPA100

TB-30

Hirondelle

315-..

SPA155

TB-30

Petit Poucet

315-..

EIV 02.012Picardie

SPA172

TB-30

Perroquet

315-..

SPA173

TB-30

Oiseau de Paradis

315-..

EALA 9/72

TB-30

Petit Prince

315-..

EFIP 01.011Roussillon

1e de GCIII/6

TB-30

Masque tragédie

315-..

2e de GCIII/6

TB-30

Masque comédie

315-..

ED 01.033Belfort

VR291

SIDM MALE
MQ-9

Lynx lunaire

F-SDA.

SAL33

SIDM MALE

la Hache d’A. Bordage

F-SDA.

The three MQ-9 Reapers are deployed to Niamey, Mali.For the next ten years, SOCATA/EADS has taken over pilot training and will use 24 modernized TB30s. They are also using 18 civil registrated Grob 120A-Fs.

Creil (LFPC)BA110

Rwy: 07/25Pos: 49°15'13"N 002°31'09"EElev: 291 ft

Escadron

Escadrille

Aircraft Type(s)

Name

Tail Code

Badge

ET 01.062Vercors

SPA-bi55

CN235M-200

Lévrier

62-I.

SAL8

CN235M-200

Croix de Lorraine Rouge

62-I.

ET 03.062Ventoux

SAL105

CN235M-300

Diable Grenadier

62-H.

VR551

CN235M-300

Chamelier Targui

62-H.

EIE CN235M

SPA Bi2

CN235M-200
CN235M-300

Triquètre

62-I.
62-H.

For QRA purposes, two Mirage 2000-5F of Luxeuil are on detachment here.

Djibouti/Ambouli (HDAM)BA188

Rwy: 09/27Pos: 11°32'51"N 043°09'34"EElev: 49 ft

Escadron

Escadrille

Aircraft Type(s)

Name

Tail Code

Badge

ET 00.088Larzac

BR120

C160R (loan)

Croix de Lorraine au Chardon

61-..

BR117

SA330Ba

Coq Bombardier

..

EC 03.011Corse

SPA88

Mirage 2000-5
Mirage 2000D

Serpent

188-..
188-..

SPA69

Mirage 2000-5
Mirage 2000D

Chat

188-..
188-..

EDCA 00.036Berry

Force Atalanta

E-3F

702-C.

In the near future, ET00.088 will see its Transalls being replaced by CN235s.

There were fifteen Boeing C-135FR tanker aircraft delivered but one has crashed in 1972. The remaining have been modified with four CFM56 engines delivered. The C135FR are equipped with one centreline mounted flyable boom. A boom drogue adapter (BDA) can be set for probe equipped aircraft. Also, it is fitted with 2 wing mounted FRL Mk32B air refuelling pods.

Photo: Sjoerd Drost

Libreville/Leon M'Ba (Gabon) (FOOL)Base Aérienne 01

Rwy: 16/34Pos: 00°27'30"N 009°24'44"EElev: 38 ft

Escadron

Escadrille

Aircraft Type(s)

Name

Tail Code

Badge

ET 00.055Ouessant

-

AS555AN

..

This base has been allocated DA470.

Luxeuil/St.Sauveur (LFSX)BA116

Rwy: 04/22, 11/29Pos: 47°46'59"N 006°21'51"EElev: 913 ft

Escadron

Escadrille

Aircraft Type(s)

Name

Tail Code

Badge

EC 01.002Cigognes

SPA3

Mirage 2000-5F

Cigogne de Guynemer

116-..

SPA103

Mirage 2000-5F

Cigogne de Fonck

116-..

SPA26

Mirage 2000-5F

Cigogne de Saint Galmier

116-..

Mont-de-Marsan (LFBM)BA118

Rwy: 09/27Pos: 43°54'42"N 000°30'27"WElev: 203 ft

Escadron

Escadrille

Aircraft Type(s)

Name

Tail Code

Badge

CEAM

-

TBM-700A

X.

ECE 05.330Côte d'Argent

BR128

Mirage 2000 versions
Rafale B/C
Alpha Jet E

Le Scarabée Blanc

118-..
118-..
118-..

BR127

Mirage 2000 versions
Rafale B/C
Alpha Jet E

Le Tigre

118-..
118-..
118-..

EC 02.030Normandie-Niemen

SPA91

Rafale B
Rafale C

Aigle à tête de mort

118-..
118-..

SPA93

Rafale B
Rafale C

Canard Col Vert

118-..
118-..

SPA97

Rafale B
Rafale C

Fanion aux Hermines

118-..
118-..

The tiger spirit is clear in this abundant colour scheme, celebrating the Tiger Meet 2009 at Kleine Brogel, Belgium. Both flights of EC 05.330 have a tiger in their badge, as is EC 05.330 itself. This test unit, part of CEAM, has also all other fighters in its inventory.

Photo: Mike Schoenmaker

N'Djamena/Hassan Djamous (Chad) (FTTJ)

Rwy: 05/23Pos: 12°07'30"N 015°01'29"EElev: 968 ft

Operation

Aircraft Type(s)

Name

Tail Code

Badge

Force Barkhane

Rafale C
K)C-135FR/R/RG
C-160R
CN235M-200
EC725R2

various
93-C.
various
various
S.

These are temporary missions by the French Government.

Nancy/Ochey (LFSO)BA133

Rwy: 02/20Pos: 48°34'59"N 005°57'18"EElev: 1106 ft

Escadron

Escadrille

Aircraft Type(s)

Name

Tail Code

Badge

EC 01.003Navarre

SPA95

Mirage 2000D

Martinet dans un Fanion

133-..

SPA153

Mirage 2000D

Gypaète

133-..

SPA62

Mirage 2000D

Coq de Combat

133-..

EC 02.003Champagne

SPA67

Mirage 2000D

Cicogne de Navarre

133-..

SPA75

Mirage 2000D

Aigle Egyptien

133-..

SPA102

Mirage 2000D

Soleil de Rhodes

133-..

EC 03.003Ardennes

1.GC III/3

Mirage 2000D

Hure de Sanglier - Barre Bleue

133-..

2.GC III/3

Mirage 2000D

Hure de Sanglier - Barre Rouge

133-..

BR44

Mirage 2000D

Sanglier assis

133-..

ETD 02.007Argonne

SPA31

Mirage 2000D

Archer

SPA48

Mirage 2000D

Coq Chante et Combat

Niamey/Diori Hamani (Niger) (DRRN)

Rwy: 09L/27R (gravel), 09R/27LPos: 13°28'54"N 002°10'13"EElev: 732 ft

Operation

Aircraft Type(s)

Name

Tail Code

Badge

Barkhane

Mirage 2000D
MQ-9
SIDM MALE
C-160R
C-135FR /KC-135R/KC-135RG

133-..
..
F-SDA.
6.-..
93-C.

Reapers are on deployment and belong to ED 01.033/VR291 while the Mirage2000Ds are from EC03.003.

Noumea/La Tontouta (New Caledonia) (NWWW)BA186

Rwy: 11/29Pos: 22°00'52"S 166°12'47"EElev: 52 ft

Escadron

Escadrille

Aircraft Type(s)

Name

Tail Code

Badge

ET 00.052La Tontouta

EROM80

SA330Ba
CN235M-200

..
52-I.

BR107

SA330Ba
CN235M-200

Serpent Egyptien

..
52-I.

Orange/Caritat (LFMO)BA115

Rwy: 15/33Pos: 44°08'26"N 004°52'00"EElev: 197 ft

Escadron

Escadrille

Aircraft Type(s)

Name

Tail Code

Badge

ETO HL

BR279

AS555AN
AS555UN

..
..

EC 02.005Ile de France

C46

Mirage 2000B
Mirage 2000C

Trident

115-..
115-..

SPA84

Mirage 2000B
Mirage 2000C

Tête de Renard

115-..
115-..

SPA124

Mirage 2000B
Mirage 2000C

Jeanne d'Arc

115-..
115-..

EH 05.067Alpilles

(1 Esc)

AS555AN

Durance (EH04.067)

..

VB135

AS555AN

Chauve-souris

..

Orléans/Bricy (LFOJ)BA123

Rwy: 07/25Pos: 47°59'16"N 001°45'38"EElev: 412 ft

Escadron

Escadrille

Aircraft Type(s)

Name

Tail Code

Badge

ET 01.061Touraine

V101

A400M

Tete de hibou

61-..

V113

A400M

Chauve-souris

61-..

ET 02.061Franche-Comté

SAL19

C-130H
C-130H-30

Le Bougnat

61-P.
61-P.

BR104

C-130H
C-130H-30

Les Turcos

61-P.
61-P.

ET 03.061Poitou

F118

C-130H-30

Hibou sur un Croissant de Lune

61-P.

VB119

C-160R
C-160R

Chauve-souris sur un Croissant de Lune

61-M./Z.
64-G.

F121

DHC-6-300

Hibou aux Ailes éployées sur un Croissant de Lune

C.

EIE A400M

ELA53

A400M

61-..

EIE Hercules

BR111

C-130H
C-130H-30

Cygne

61-P.
61-P.

The C160 Transall entered service with ET61 at Orleans in 1967 replacing the N2501 Noratlas. The first batch consisted of 50 aircraft and in addition to those three former pre-production aircraft also entered service with the unit. An additional batch of 26 C160NG (Nouvelle Generation) was ordered in the late seventies to reequip ET64 at Evreux. Among these aircraft are two C160G Gabriel ELINT coversions and four C160H ASTARTE aircraft which serve as platforms for communications with the French navy's nuclear submarine fleet, but these have been stored now. Over the past years the remaining Transall fleet have been upgraded to C160R standard.

ETR 02.092 is a Air Force-Navy combined Rafale training unit, therefore also a Rafale M is posted here.

With the unit marking of SPA15 on its tail, this two-seat Rafale B, number 313/113-HI, belongs to EC01.007, an active unit based at St Dizier. From March 2007, three Rafales had been deployed to Dushanbe in Tajikistan, armed with the GBU-12 guided bombs, to support the war in Afghanistan.